You have probably heard a crazy cat attack story at some point in your life, but how many times have you heard of people filing lawsuits over it? Believe it or not, they do exist. Here are two popular cases that demonstrate reasons why someone may sue over a cat attack. While these cases are not typical, they are clear proof that these types of things happen.

The Annoyed Husband Who Was Attacked by a Cat

In Illinois, a man sued his suspected wife over her cat viciously attacking him. William Baxter’s lawsuit was $100,000 after sustaining numerous injuries on his arm and one of his fingers. Although Baxter’s Facebook page claimed he was married to the cat owner, Christine Bobak, it was never made clear if this was actually true. Either way, they went to court over the issue.

While this wasn’t one of the worst cat attacks you heard of, any form of attack can be a bit traumatic and inconvenient. In another case, a Bronx couple faced a substantial lawsuit over cat attacks.

The Crazy Cat

The Bronx couple ran an animal shelter. The woman who sued them claimed the cat she received was insane and viciously attacked her. 70 years old Barbara Pinchbeck was hoping for a sweet, friendly companion, but ended up with a cat from hell. It didn’t take more than one night for this woman’s nightmare to begin.

Out of nowhere the cat just lost it, leaped into the air and bit hard into two of her fingers. The lady was terrified as the cat hissed at her. It severed the tendon in her hand. Pinchbeck spent an entire week in the hospital which cost her several thousand dollars. When the shelter owner arrived at Pinchbecks home to retrieve the cat, Pinchbeck was too afraid to approach the cat. She claimed the shelter owner had to get someone to assist her with retrieving the cat. The resulting lawsuit was a surprising 2 million dollars.

Considering the owner insisted that the cat had always been sweet, and had never had any issues, Pinchbeck’s case was challenging. The owner’s attorney claims they have been rescuing and placing cats into loving homes for many years. They were also reputable, as they were a fully licensed shelter with no record of previous incidents such as this attack.

To this day, Jamie Turell, the shelter owner, still operates the business, and Pinchbeck received a satisfactory replacement cat.

What This Means for Cat Owners

If you own a cat, you are responsible for it. These examples show that even household pets can be dangerous under certain conditions. It also goes to show that anyone seriously injured by a cat can seek damages through legal action. As a pet owner, you must not only protect your pet, you must also protect them from harming others.